The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-01-13
AN ODD CEREMONY.
The Burial of an African King by His Saw
age Suhjects-The Giliey GiiIey
nnctnr-.

Among the passengers ON board the
schooner Lottie Beard, brought TO this
/ port from kabenda on her recent pas
sage, was Il young man of perhaps IL,
who attracted the eyes of the observers
that had gathered on the wharf to wit
ness the arrival of the vessel.
The young mans name was Arch
Steel, and his native place Dennison,
Iowa. He is Il son of a retired and
well-to-do furniture dealer of that place,
and a Methodist missionary. He went
away last March and returned because
of inconsistencies.
He was one of Bishop Taylor's colony
that left for Africa in March, which con-
sisted of twenty-seven persons, includ-
ing men, woman, and children, and
apprentices. 1t sailed by steamer from
New York on the Goth of last March,
and first landed at Madeira. The next
port was Teneriffe, one. of the largest
islands of the Canary group, where a
day or two was spent AT Grand Canary
islands 4 short stay was made which al
lowed the party time to visit the Jesuit
cathedral. A change of steamers was
here made, and the party embarked
aboard the steamer Nubian for Sierra
Leone.
IOCeOulu0 uOWu lUC COdSl,
was reached. -~hich was the headquar-
tiers at THAI time of Bishop Taylor.
With Bishop Taylor the party proceed
ed and arrived at Kabenda the 20th of
MAY.
Upon first landing at Kabenda."
said Mir. Steel 1--WE were met by the
governor of the place and invited to
take dinner and supper with him. The
dow In ,Hiol-aI ,,Ioao 60 to
pitch our tents and gave us a couple of
natives to help do our work, which we
paid by giving them a certain quantity
of cloth kahenda comprises Il settle
ment OF fifly-four towns within a dis
tance of ten miles of the bay where we
landed, with II population of 100000,
Shortly after we arrived at kabenda n
king of one of the more important towns
died. and whenever king dies a week
is taken to bury him.
''In this case huge coffin y feet
long, 9 feet high, and 8 feet wide was
buit on Il rack 6 feet high with I'M
mense wheels. 1t was only short dis
tance from the kings house to the bur-
lal place, but the rack is moved only
short distance each day. A large dele
cation of natives from each town held
services around the coffin, and they
made the day and night hideous with
the noises from their rude instruments,
the principal one being tom-tom or
native drum.
"A biG bell is suspended from the
rack, which is rung at regular intervals.
The crowd around the funeral rack at
night is larger than in the daytime,
and everybody dances. That is, they
turn round and round on one spot, but
do not move in circle.
The most impressive part of the cere-
mony is that performed by gilley-ellley
doctors or medicine men. Everybody
gets drunk on the rum, which is pur-
chased of English traders. and which
is Il great deal worse than American
rum. While a certain part of the ma
tives are holding services around the
coffin. another party is engaged in dig
glng an immense grave. which was
over twenty feet deep. The grave is
always dug at night by the light of
| torches. made of native gum. and car
ried by women on the edge of the grave
Singing is kept up throughout the
night. On the morning of the last day
! the coffin is lowered into the grave and
the natives disperse to their homes
| Nearly all the men on the coast have
| coats, which they obtain from sailors in
steamers by selling them parrots. and
the women nearly all have garments. of
American cloth. My outfit cost about
$500; l bought all my books. The aver
age cost of an outfit is about $3.50, and
IS supplied by the Foreign Missionary
| society.
"Wtchcraft prevails to a certain ex-
| tent among the natives of Kabenda,
and if any person has been offended in
any manner by another person he
charges him with witchcraft. and the
! gilley-gilley doctors take him in charge
and administer dose of sasswood. Ii
the mixture makes the person vomit he
is adiudged not guilty of witchcraft,
| but if he does not vomit he is looked
| upon as witcn. His lands and goods
are taken from him and given to the
| person whom he has offended. This
has been done since our party landed
there, and it is hard to make them be-
| lieve there is no such thing as witch
craft"
| Mr.. Steel stated that he intended go
| ing back to school when he got home,
and fit for college where he would study
| for the ministry, but would not 90 back
to Africa.-Nei0 Bedford Cor. Boston
| G!06e